The CEO of German Ford Werke GmbH, Bernhard Mattes, left, and the US ambassador to Germany inspect a Ford in a production hall in Cologne, Germany, on Wednesday, May 26, 2010. (AP Photo/dapd/Hermann J. Knippertz)

(Newser)
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German authorities raided Ford plants and the homes of Ford employees and suppliers today as part of a corruption investigation, the Wall Street Journal reports. Some 100 police officers took part in the search of more than 30 locations; one person was arrested, a prosecutor said. Ford staff have allegedly received “material advantages” from allied companies or companies pursuing contracts with the automaker, according to prosecutors.

In exchange, these workers allegedly favored these companies when awarding contracts or drew up false bills in their favor. Ford itself is not under investigation, but is taking the matter "very seriously."